It’s been talked about for long enough, and finally a deal has been signed. Apple and China Mobile are bringing the iPhone 5s and 5c to the world’s largest mobile network next month.

A press release just pushed out by Apple notes that the devices will be available both in China Mobile stores and Apple’s own Chinese stores from January 17, 2014. Pre-orders begin on December 25 on China Mobile’s website.

The deal is a big win for Apple as it brings the iPhone to China Mobile’s customer base that numbers upwards of 760 million. Reports that a deal had been struck surfaced earlier this month, and the carrier switched on its 4G network just days ago – a network that will support the 5s and 5c from next month. Although rumors of a partnership have circulated for years, the latest round of whispers began in September.

Martin Bryant Editor-in-Chief at The Next Web. You can find him on Twitter, subscribe to him on Facebook, circle him on Google+ and visit his personal site. He's based in Manchester, UK and has a thing for quirky American music and Japanese video games.